Lmst

Revisiting my experiences with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

https://www.davidgrayhammond.co.uk/p/camhs-and-autistic-lives

#CAMHS #ActuallyAutistic #autism #Autistic #MentalHealth @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @mentalhealth@newsmast.community @mentalhealth@lemmy.world @mentalhealth@a.gup.pe

Swansea man speaks out after years of mental health service failings

Now receiving support in hospital, he is speaking out to raise awareness of what he describes as “deep cracks” in the Welsh mental health system, particularly in services provided by Swansea Bay University Health Board and the Crisis Team in Swansea.

“I first started struggling with my mental health when I was just 13,” he said. “I was referred to CAMHS [Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services], but instead of getting help, I was told it was just behaviour issues — that I didn’t have a mental disorder. They didn’t listen to me or my family.”

He says that for eight years he was passed from service to service with little support, despite clear signs of distress. His mother, whom he describes as his biggest supporter, continued to advocate for him, but says she too was repeatedly dismissed.

“The system failed me and my family. They made us feel like we were exaggerating, like there was nothing wrong. But there was.”

In the last four years alone, he says he has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act eight times and admitted to Ward F at Neath Port Talbot Hospital on multiple occasions — a ward he describes as “unsafe and damaging.”

He alleges that one doctor labelled his actions as “attention-seeking” and “just behavioural,” and describes being forcibly restrained after trying to leave the ward, resulting in bruising. He also claims a staff member once grabbed him by the throat.

“There was no care or compassion. Just control and judgement.”

He also raises concerns about patient confidentiality, saying staff would discuss other patients’ medical information in communal areas where it could be overheard.

Earlier this year, a life-threatening incident led to a turning point — a correct diagnosis and the right medication. Now in hospital and beginning his recovery, he says the experience has left him determined to speak up.

“If services had listened to me and my mum when I was 13, I truly believe none of this would have happened. So much pain, trauma, and danger could have been avoided.”

He added: “I’m not speaking out to shame anyone. I’m speaking out because if we don’t tell the truth, nothing will ever change. I lost nearly ten years of my life to being ignored and not supported.”

“There needs to be proper accountability. We need professionals who listen, who investigate properly, who care. Mental health wards should be places of healing, not fear. Crisis teams should act with urgency and compassion — not make people feel like a burden.”

He says he is now on the road to recovery, with a support plan in place, a team who listens, and treatment that is finally making a difference.

In response, Swansea Bay University Health Board said:

“Strict confidentiality rules mean we are unable to comment on individual patients in our care and therefore cannot comment on the claims being made.
However, we can confirm we have received a formal complaint from the patient, and we will respond to the patient directly in due course.
We actively encourage patients to always let us know if they have any concerns.”

For information on how to raise a concern or complaint with Swansea Bay University Health Board, visit their Complaints and Feedback page.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Independent review finds repeated failings in Swansea Bay maternity care
Welsh Government escalates intervention after report highlights unsafe practices and governance concerns.

Swansea man jailed for animal cruelty after CCTV shows dog being hit and dropped
Court sentences 21-year-old for causing unnecessary suffering to Jack Russell Terrier named Casper.

Project offers support to people living with dementia and their carers
Swansea initiative provides vital resources and emotional support for families affected by dementia.

Free school meals to be extended into school holidays
Welsh Government confirms continued support to tackle holiday hunger and improve child wellbeing.

#CAMHS #mentalHealth #NeathPortTalbotHospital #Swansea #SwanseaBayNHS

person in black jacket and gray denim jeans

[17:54] HSE settles and apologises for ‘failings in care’ of girl (17) who took her own life in care of Kerry CAMHS

The HSE has apologised for “failings in care” for a 17-year old girl who took her own life while in the care of the Kerry Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/hse-settles-and-apologises-for-failings-in-care-of-girl-17-who-took-her-own-life-in-care-of-kerry-camhs/a1625749404.html

#17_yearold #theKerryChildandAdolescentMentalHealthServices #CAMHS

If you're looking for your next book, I have some recommendations!

https://mybook.to/dgh-books

#AutisticAuthor #ADHDauthor #AuDHDauthor #ActuallyAutistic #autism #Autistic #ADHD #AuDHD #MentalHealth #Recovery #Sobriety #CAMHS #Neurodiversity #Neurodivergent #Books #Reading @actuallyautistic @actuallyautistics @autisticadvocacy @neurodiversity @mentalhealth@newsmast.community @mentalhealth@a.gup.pe @recoveryposse

Responses are still open for this survey on Autistic experiences of CAMHS in England and Wales. I would really appreciate people filling out this survey and sharing it onwards for others. The more data we collect, the stronger the results I can present to the CQC.

https://forms.gle/r2RJUfgvwweiuxv66

@neurodiversity @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @neurodivergent @mentalhealth

#ActuallyAutistic #autism #Autistic #MentalHealth #CAMHS

Discovered, much to my disgust, that #CAMHS do not deal with #ADHD referrals. Though I know they do test #ASD referrals for ADHD. But instead for kids with ADHD they must go through the HSE psychology services (which we've had a super bad experience with) to then be put on a waiting list which is 6 to 8 YEARS long. So the only real option for kids is the same as for adults, suffer through it or pay a private doctor.
#mastodaoine

Ahead of our collective action on July 19th, I am asking UK people to sign this form to create a list of people who support the findings of the CAMHS reports I wrote.

Sign here- https://forms.gle/xn3sk4VZh4ruT3ck7

For those who have not seen the CAMHS reports, they can be found here-

https://emergentdivergence.com/camhs-crisis/#camhs-reports-2024

#ActuallyAutistic #CAMHS #autism #Autistic #MentalHealth #Neurodiversity #neurodivergent @neurodiversity @autisticadvocacy @actuallyautistic

Our #MentalHealth system fails children with #DualDiagnosis of #autism and #MentalIllness, #disability, substance use or non-conforming #GenderIdentity.

"#Cork TD & #SocialDemocrats leader #HollyCairns said there are currently 854 young people #waiting for #CAMHS services in Cork... over 300 waiting more than a year."

There is "total #gatekeeping at the mention of #autism or #addiction in addition to mental health issues".

https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-41397205.html

Committee Report: https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/committee/dail/33/joint_committee_on_children_equality_disability_integration_and_youth/reports/2024/2024-05-14_report-on-camhs-and-dual-diagnosis_en.pdf

I'm wondering if #Sunak is out to kill off anyone with a serious #mentalhealth condition because he's competing with #Boris managing to kill off so many #older people and those with #chronic #physical #health conditions with #COVID
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/apr/29/mentally-ill-people-being-used-as-political-football-campaigners-say
#publichealth #Government #tory #tories #covid19 #death #longcovid #CAMHS #wellbeing #NHS #depression #anxiety #suicide
https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/

Report number 2 on CAMHS has been published. This one looks at the qualitative data and includes direct quotes on the experiences of CAMHS

https://emergentdivergence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CAMHS-Report-2024-2.pdf

#CAMHS #MentalHealth #healthcare #NHS #ActuallyAutistic #autism #Autistic #neurodiversity #neurodivergent

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @neurodiversity

CAMHS therapist just told me to "watch some Youtube videos on ASD" with my daughter. I asked which ones and she said to watch some myself first and choose what is suitable. Surely that advice can't be an official NHS policy? Does she not know how much crap there is on youTube??

#CAMHS

Out of all the people who responded to the CAMHS survey, this is what was said when asked if they agreed that "CAMHS understands Autistic experiences"

Only 17.6% agreed that CAMHS understands

58.2% expressed disagreement.

The rest had a neutral opinion, which in my opinion is still not acceptable f9r a service working with such vulnerable people.

Find the full report here
https://emergentdivergence.com/camhs-crisis/#camhs-reports-2024

#CAMHS #NHS #EHCPsupport #ActuallyAutistic

@neurodiversity @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy

An image showing that 17.6% of people agreed that CAMHS understand Autistic experiences, compared to 58.2% who disagreed.

Here is the download link for the first report coming from the CAMHS survey I did (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services). It looked into Autistic peoples experiences of CAMHS.

It's a long report, but has some really important statistics in it

Find and download it here

https://emergentdivergence.com/camhs-crisis/#camhs-reports-2024

#ActuallyAutistic #CAMHS #MentalHealth #NHS

@neurodiversity @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy

*New research*

Can we develop new methods to measure parent-adolescent interaction? In this paper we discuss our work developing a novel task utilizing head cams to capture first-person perspectives. This opens the possibility of AI coding, which we are exploring first through coding of facial expressions.

Paper:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frcha.2023.1214890/full

News story:
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/wearable-headcams-provide-insight-complex-teen-emotions

#AI
#FamilyTherapy
#parenting
#camhs
#adolescence
#MentalHealth